If browsing that Paddington Bear kiosk at Paddington Station and refueling a la Starbucks, McDonald’s, Burger King etc (etc etc) just won’t cut it as you await your train, consider Searcy’s new(ish) and cosy little Champagne Bar next time you’re stuck at the station and eager for quality thirst quenching.
The tasting starts at 7pm and lasts for about an hour and a half during which time Qypers taste around a dozen tequilas, with the aim of choosing four favourites. These four are to then be added to the Wahaca tequila list as guest tequilas throughout the next year.
I’ve been procrastinating all day, something I was feeling bad about until this afternoon when the second of two friends of whom I think highly essentially told me to just enjoy the downtime and relax. Also, I swung by the bank to discover I had a good bit more money in my checking account than I had realized. That’s a wonderful feeling. Ah.
So, I’ve just been sitting here (correction: lying here) doodling in a sketchbook, listening to Slayer (Relaxing? Yes actually it is.) and inevitably thinking about photography. More specifically, I’ve been having a ponder about what’s influenced me (my style and subject matter) as a photographer, particularly my street photography. There are a great many factors, but the three following dudes probably had more to do with inspiring how I see and try to visually capture the world than anybody else (and yes I realize none of them is a professional still photographer – and that all three are filmmakers). I could go on and on about why Debord, McElwee and Waters had such an effect on my craft, but wouldn’t it be more fun just to watch these videos? Besides, it’s my lazy day.
British Airways appear to be raising the bar for both corporate responsibility and stand-up comedy by teaming up with Comic Relief to forge a year-long partnership and deliver a comic treat – one which has never been done before.
On Saturday 12th March 2011, British comedians Dara O’Briain, Jack Whitehall and Jon Richardson will team up with British Airways and Guinness World Records in an attempt to set the record for the “Highest Stand-Up Comedy Gig in the World”. The 35000 feet high stunt will be part of a wider campaign by British Airways called Flying Start. Combining Comic Relief UK’s expertise in tackling the causes of world poverty with BA’s commitment to community investment in the countries where the airline operates, Flying Start will be an effort to improve the lives of disadvantaged children at home and abroad. The money raised through Flying Start will go to support a number of Comic Relief projects in the UK, Africa, Asia and Latin America.
To find out more about helping give a Flying Start to children all over the world with laughs at 350,000 feet and for a chance to win a free seat among the 75 pairs of lucky people flying over the UK to enjoy two-and-a-half hours of top-notch stand-up comedy for charity in the air – including champagne and refreshments – fans can text ‘Fly1’ to 70300 or visit the British Airways Facebook page for more details, to enter the competition and for full terms and conditions.
Cheeky burlesque dancers giving private shows in swank hotel rooms, a private nude portraiture salon, an edible floral feast of 24 dishes, an Apothecary Bar serving herbal, floral and vegetable cocktails, extremely cheeky parlour games and more: yep, Qype was there. We even had a freebie giveaway to this romantically inclined White Blackbird event (Why? Because we love you!).
Defining this newly appreciated craft with deep, arty roots (Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Diane Arbus, Martin Parr) as “un-posed, un-staged photography which captures, explores or questions contemporary society and the relationships between individuals and their surroundings,” the London Street Photography Festival aims to support emerging and celebrate existing talent within the genre. To do so the festival has launched the Street Photography Awards with a Student Award and an International Award.
The hardly week-old Cocochan is an attractive and dimly lit (positively dark) new pan-Asian restaurant on James Street. And you know that final mirror-room scene in Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon? Well, a walk to the toilets kinda reminded us of a glammed up version of that. Swish!
For little reason other than a tasty attempt to nullify the January blues with an impromptu feast among the company of good friends, a couple of mates and I headed out of London early on a dreary Saturday morning to the West Sussex coast for a spot of seafood shopping. En route back to town, we stopped off at a local Surrey legend (and rural foodie mecca) for salad and such before rolling up the sleeves and getting down to kitchen business before our guests arrived.
Kung hei fat choi! The Year of the Rabbit is off to a yummy start for the few of us Qypers who came along to the Beijing Dumplings Workshop and More event at Warren Street’s newly opened izakaya (oriental “tapas”) restaurant, Mushu. But this was no mere sit and dine night out. We had to work for our food. Luckily we had Mushu’s resident (and incredibly sweet) dumpling lady hooking us up with a very fun hands-on lesson in how to make moreish Beijing dumplings.
Just a quick reminder to let everyone know that MOMA will soon be deciding and contacting the winners for their “Londonist MOMA Breakfast Competition”. Keen to win a chance at free breakfast for a month?
Featuring eight new works by South London painter/illustrator Lyndon Hayes, the exhibition offers a thoughtfully angled and colour-rich take on the banality of daily life worthy of a quick look-see or linger while sipping something in the hotel’s swish lobby bar.
Meat, meat, some other morning food stuffs, more meat and a pint – or more specifically “sweet cured bacon, pork and leek sausage, eggs (any style), grilled tomato, white and black pudding, hash browns, minute steak, lamb’s kidneys, baked beans, fried bread, chicken liver, mushrooms and a pint of Murphy’s stout: that’s the Fox & Anchor’s newly introduced ‘City Boy Breakfast’.
It looks like I’ll be heading to New York in early April – probably not the best time to visit but still not soon enough. I never tire of taking city breaks to New York – a town I know fairly well and where I used to live for a brief time. It will be great opportunity to catch up with some great friends, show off a few of my favourite sites (the High Line, Chinatown, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum – yes my tastes are downtown-centric) to my travel buddy and eat ridiculous amounts of pizza, bagels, burgers and Mexican food. Assuming the pound is still walloping the dollar, it might be wise for me to plan a bit of shopping as well.
However, it won’t be all play. I’ll be there working on my upcoming Mega City Photo exhibition: shooting lots of photos, hopefully meeting a few other photographers – that sort of thing. As with all my photo related gigs, the “work” usually feels like “play” anyway. So, cool stuff all around. I anticipate no dull moments, plenty of laughs and a heaping dose of big city fun.
Nice bit of fluff
EggMag, Issue 7, The White Issue, January-April 2011
Yes, I love eggs, particularly their yolks. For me, egg whites have always been the boring, less flavoursome bit merely there to surround and protect the gloriously golden delicious yolk. Am I missing out on something or failing to recognize the best part of one of the world’s most universally favoured foods?
With Year of the Rabbit celebrations coming up tomorrow in Chinatown, here’s our top ten list of favourite Chinatown treats (in no particular order except alphabetical). Have fun and eat well!
By Chris Osburn and Ben Norum
Photo by cafedereves
What’s that apple orchard-y smell in the corporate air? I have no idea actually, but something’s up. This week, I received a special ‘little breakfast treat’ from the super juice and smoothies folk at Innocent Drinks as well as an ‘exclusive invitation’ from AB InBev UK (the makers of Stella Artois) to attend the unveiling of one of Stella’s ‘most significant innovations in recent years … an eye-opening event … to celebrate … exciting news’.
An uncompromising mix of graffiti grit and studio contemplation, the exhibition’s focus on self-expression and gorgeous colour draws the viewer in, allowing you to come to your own conclusions.
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